TITLE: Title
Review and Acceptance of the 2020 Annual Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) from the Technical Advisory Committee
PURPOSE: The Orange County Board of County Commissioners has referred the 2020 draft report for review. The Board of Commissioners has requested comments from partner local governments this month. A resolution that accepts the report has been attached.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Patricia McGuire - 919-918-7327; pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org
INFORMATION: The letter from Chair Penny Rich, of the Board of County Commissioners requesting Board of Aldermen review of the 2020 Draft Annual Report on the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) Technical Advisory Committee was received on March 23rd. The full report is attached (Attachment B) and may also be found on Orange County’s Planning Department website at the following link: <https://www.orangecountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10054/Draft-2020-SAPFOTAC-Report?bidId=>. It has been noted that the Carrboro Town Council attribution has not been updated to its recent name change. This change will be made to the final report when it is presented to the BOCC for adoption in April. Agenda materials from the BOCC review may be found at <http://server3.co.orange.nc.us:8088/WebLink/0/doc/61982/Page1.aspx> . Annual reporting requirements of the SAPFO are spelled out in Section 1D of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The annual report addresses five areas for each of the two school systems, Level of Service, Building Capacity and Membership, Membership Date, Capital Improvement Planning, Student Membership Projection methodology, and Student Membership Projections. Excerpts from the report related to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools are included below.
Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) Summary Information. The CHCCS school district does not exceed the adopted levels of service established in the SAPFO. Projections do not show a need for new additional capacity at the elementary, middle, or high school levels within the 10-year planning period. Within the district, the total number of students increased by 59 students as a result of 27 more elementary students, 16 fewer middle school students and 48 more high school students. The total school population in the 2018-19 school year is 12,358. Level of Service for the three school levels is summarized below:
Elementary. The student population does not exceed 105 percent LOS standard (current LOS is 94.7 percent). Projections do not show the need for an additional Chapel Hill/Carrboro Elementary School in the 10 year projection period.
Middle School. The student population does not currently exceed 107 percent LOS standard (current LOS is 103.4 percent). Projections do not show the need for an additional Chapel Hill/Carrboro Middle School in the 10-year projection period.
High School. The student population does not currently exceed the 110 percent LOS standard (current LOS is 101.7 percent). Renovations underway at Chapel Hill High School will result in an increase in capacity of 105 seats for the 2020-2021 school year. The need for additional capacity at the high school level is not anticipated in the 10-year projection period.
Student Projection Analysis. Projected average annual growth rate at the elementary school level decreased slightly and at the middle and high school levels increased slightly. All remain positive with decreasing rates at all levels projected in the future.
Other Considerations. 2017 legislation established new student class sizes for kindergarten to third grade. House Bill 90 includes a staggered implementation of the reduction, to be completed by 2021-2022, as follows:
|
School Year |
Ratio of classrooms to # of students |
|
2019-2020 |
1:19 |
|
2020 - 2021 |
1:18 |
|
2021-2022 |
1:17 |
These changes in classroom size are projected to result in capacity issues at the elementary school level for the 2023-24 school year, based on preliminary student projections in this report. These impacts were previously projected in 2021-22. The Schools Joint Action Committee has continued to meet to consider options and incorporation of the changes into the student membership and building capacity projections. Proposed growth is not included in the SAPFO projection process until actual student enrollment occurs and certificates of adequate public facilities are required during the review process for new developments. Staff continue to monitor the growth and associated demand in relation to student membership rates. The report also includes information regarding charter schools and other alternative schooling arrangements as the schools are monitored in relation to effects on student enrollment in both districts. For funding purposes, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides pupil information from such schools to Orange County. Information on Orange County Public Schools in the City of Mebane and charter schools related to Orange County Schools is provided on page 33 of the report.
The Adequate Public School Facilities provisions, Land Use Ordinance subsections 15-88 through 15-88.7, and the associated memorandum of understanding is provided as information (Attachment C). A memo providing the status of CAPS for approved residential developments is included as Attachment D.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: None noted with the review and acceptance of this report.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Carrboro Town Council adopt the attached resolution that accepts the report. The Council may choose to attach comments if desired.